A/N The picture was apparently drawn by an artist called cafa2513 and it is titled "Im tired of crying"

Light was filtering through the open blinds of the hotel to greet my unadjusted eyes as I slowly blinked and tried to wake my fuzzy brain. What happened last night? I was watching Dajan and Mark play a game of pool and I got super sleepy.... Did I... I blinked a few more times and realized that not only was I in the hotel bed with the covers pulled up around my ears, but Rosa was sleeping peacefully next to me with her hair splayed out everywhere it could possibly reach.

Thoroughly confused, I thought back again to last night but couldn't remember ever leaving the game room. How did I get back to our room?

Cautiously I moved a little further away from Rosa before stretching my arms up over my head luxuriously. With a gasp the memory of me tossing that jerk who had insulted Dajan popped in my head and I instantly clamped one hand over my mouth and another over my eyes, peeking out of a slit in my fingers to make sure I didn't wake anyone up. Rosa didn't stir and it looked like Kim and Iris in the other bed were sleeping soundly as well, so I lowered my hands and thought back to that experience.

I knew that I had been in the wrong. When I heard him insult Dajan though something had completely snapped and I just wanted him to stop speaking. It had seemed so natural. The move I used last night wasn't from my father's karate school but had been taught to me during a week when Father invited instructors from different martial arts to come to fight him and show the difference between the various other fighting styles. After we watched the matches for a week each of the instructors taught us their 'signature' move. 

I had been drawn to the judo hip throw. I never tried to use it against my father, but whenever I successfully pulled it off during a practice against an opponent he had actually looked less disappointed, so I did my best to master it.

A shaky sigh escaped me and I tried to hold back my tears. Of anyone who could have seen me cry, I was glad that it had been Dajan. He didn't pry, just let me calm down in my own time and his older brother vibe helped me feel stronger and chase away the guilt I had felt so acutely last night. I couldn't take back what I did, but I promised myself I would learn from this and never let my anger take hold of me like that again. 

Glancing over I stiffened when I realized that Rosa had opened her eyes and was staring at me silently. Not even daring to blink I met her probing stare, wondering what it was that she was looking at.

"Are you dating Castiel?" she whispered without preamble and my mouth dropped open in shock.

"M-me?" I squeaked out and she nodded seriously. "No," I whispered, glancing over at Kim and Iris to make sure they were still sleeping.

"Then why was your phone background a picture of you and Cassie?" Rosa asked in a hushed voice. 

I groaned, burying my face in my pillow and cursing myself for going along with what Castiel had said even though he never would have known if I changed the picture.

"I didn't do that. Ca.... wait. Did you call him Cassie?" I whispered, suddenly registering the full sentence she had just said. Rosa waved her hand dismissively at my comment and scooted closer to me on the bed so we were only inches apart.

"It's my nickname for him; he hates it. But why did you keep it if someone else changed it for you? Did he do it?" she whispered, once again her voice more serious than I had ever heard her before.

"Y-yah. That's why I was late meeting up with you yesterday. He came down to my locker with me and asked to see my phone. He said that if any guys tried to bother me then to show him my phone and they would back off..." I explained in a barely audible voice, feeling embarrassed just remembering the exchange. Rosa sighed and ran a hand through her bangs.

"That idiot has no idea how to act around a girl," she muttered and focused her intense gaze back on me. "And what do you think about him?" 

I chewed my bottom lip and once more glanced over at Iris and Kim, neither of which had moved an inch, before reluctantly meeting Rosa's gaze again.

"He frustrates me," I replied honestly. She mutely blinked her eyes in surprise so I rushed on to continue. "I mean, he is always teasing me and making me feel uncomfortable, but he also is surprisingly kind and really listens to me. I can never tell what he's thinking, but I always feel like he accepts me no matter what. He's so contradicting and frustrating..." I rambled on, looking away from her as I lost the words to express myself, and a small silence spread between us.

Peeking back up at her I was surprised to see a thoughtful look turning Rosa's exotic features more gentle than usual. She met my gaze and expelled a short burst of air through her nose like a small sigh and she reached out and gently brushed her fingers with long manicured nails through my bangs, making them lay just right.

"Alright then. No point in talking about it more when Cassie hasn't gotten the guts to make a move," she whispered and I frowned.

"What do you mean?" I asked and she smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I'll stop teasing you about you and Dajan being a couple though," she said with a sad smile. I frowned again, wondering when Dajan had become a part of the conversation. 

Just then a loud pop song rang through our room. Iris startled awake, pushing herself up onto her elbows and glancing around with half-closed eyes as the song continued to play.

"Good morning!" Rosa called while turning over to look at Iris and Kim, both of which were blinking their eyes and groggily looking around. With her usual flourish, Rosa reached out and turned off her phone alarm before handing me my phone that was somehow on the nightstand with hers. "Yuki called last night after you had fallen asleep so I talked to her for a bit, but I found your charger in your bag so I plugged it in for you."

"Thank you, Rosa," I said, understanding now why she had seen the picture. She smiled before bouncing off the bed.

"Let's get ready and go get some breakfast! I love hotels with continental breakfast," she sang out.

Kim flopped back onto her pillow, turning over in an obvious gesture that meant she was going back to bed. Rosa and Iris both helped me apply the makeup Auntie had suggested I wear with today's outfit, which was a knee-length denim skirt with a cute frill of lace on the bottom seam that just barely touched the top of my knees and a white quarter-sleeve shirt that was very snug. To my delight the room service maid from last night brought Dajan's cleaned jersey just as I was undoing my hair from my braid so I was able to slip it on then I scrunched up the excess material on my left side as Auntie had shown me and tied it in a loose knot at my hip so that the jersey didn't cover my skirt.

With a few persistent shoves from Rosa, Kim finally got up and got ready for the day, wearing a nearly identical outfit as yesterday except she was wearing a  navy blue sports bra underneath the jersey today. Iris and Rosa were both wearing a similar version to their outfits from yesterday. Once I unbound my hair I was happy to see that it had dried in small waves and, remembering Dajan's complaint about not having his armrest available yesterday, I just left it down. Rosa fastened our headbands in the positions she wanted and then we were off to breakfast where I selected a single danish pastry and a cup of hot chocolate since I didn't have much of an appetite.

The basketball boys trickled in for breakfast at around 8 am, some of them ate like it was their last meal, while others barely touched their food. I tried to encourage those not eating to have more so they'd have the energy they needed and Dajan was quick to second my urging. Once everyone was finished we all returned to our rooms, packed our bags and returned our scan cards to the hotel desk before climbing onto the bus and going back to the high school where the finals would be held. 

I was sad to see that less than half of yesterday's spectators were there to see the final matches and resolved to cheer extra loud today. The first match had the Sharks against a team that only lost one game and the teams were even at half time. I was thrilled when the boys came back with determination after the break and were able to beat their opponents with a 5 point lead. The second round our boys didn't play so we sat back and I texted Auntie, telling her that the team made it past the first elimination round and were in for the semi-finals.

After the second round ended the floors were quickly cleaned and the four winning teams came back on the courts to face off against each other. I cheered as hard as I could whenever a basket was made and I was particularly proud of Troy as he was able to intercept three passes and turn them into points for our team. They ended their game with a 12 point lead and I couldn't help but feel confident that they would win this. However, when the final round began it was them against the other undefeated Coral Bay team and it was obvious that they were neck and neck when it came to skills.

Both teams fought back and forth for every point they managed and at half time the Sharks were down by a basket. Anxiety gurgled through my stomach and I wanted desperately to go down and be with the team to encourage them but I knew they needed this time to regroup and strategize, which I couldn't help with. For the first time, I felt a little lonely as I thought of the basketball boys and how much they all relied on each other.

When my boys came back out on the court I cheered as loud as I could and I could hear Iris calling out encouragement to Brandon who was on the court to start off the second half of the match. As I watched it looked like the boys were throwing every trick and play they had ever practiced at their opponents but their opponents matched their tempo and the back and forth continued.

At the start of the 4th quarter the teams were tied and everyone on both the teams were looking exhausted. I clenched my hands together as I watched them fight for the win as the last few seconds slowly raced down on the large scoreboard. The ball was in the opponent's hands on the Shark's side of the court and I could see the desperation in the opposing player's eyes. He stopped dribbling, wound back his arm and launched the ball with all of his might past his guard and towards the basket. I gasped as I watched what seemed like in slow motion the ball sailing past the tips of Dax's outstretched fingers. Then like black lightning Dajan was suddenly airborne and he caught the ball in both hands.

Me and all of the other spectators not on their feet already exploded out of our seats. We called out encouragement as Dajan deftly passed the ball to Sterling who almost immediately passed it back to Dajan. He maneuvered himself into a position outside the 3-pointer line and with absolute confidence he lined up his shot and threw the ball towards the net where it sank through perfectly just as the timer ran out.

The whole Sweet Amoris team ran out and tackled Dajan, jumping around in a huge mosh pit as their excited yells and cheers were caught up in ours. I clapped and yelled until I could feel my voice getting hoarse. Iris hugged me from one side, Kim on the other and Rosa smashed herself against Iris for a group hug as the excitement continued. When everyone finally calmed down enough for the announcer to speak the winner was officially announced and the boys were awarded the trophy to keep in our school's trophy case until the next year.

Afterward, the coach rewarded everyone on the bus with pizza. To my delight, when we got on the bus Brandon had saved a seat for Iris and Kim sat with Dax, who she had played several heated games of foosball with last night. That left me with Rosa so I listened to her as she described in detail the different costume ideas she had come up with from the trip and her glee that Iris and Brandon were looking close to becoming a couple. 

We got home to Sweet Amoris finally at 3:30 pm. A wave of exhaustion seemed to descend on my shoulders as I exited the bus with my jacket on and my teeth chattered as the cold wind blew across my sensitive cheeks.

"Hey guys, let's go to the bowling alley for a victory celebration!" someone shouted behind me and I heard several people agree. 

Reluctantly turning around, I saw Troy looking over at me expectantly and I inwardly winced.

"Sorry, Troy. I want to get home before my Auntie gets off work. Do you mind if I skip this time?" I asked guiltily and his puppy dog smile drooped slightly but it made a quick reappearance.

"That's okay, Sato. Thanks for coming to watch us!" he said exuberantly. I grinned at him, congratulating him again before he moved off to talk to Jason and his friends.

I glanced around, realizing that no one was looking in my direction. Thinking now would be a good time to head out, Rosa's white hair caught my eye and I craned my neck to see that she was talking to Dajan behind the greyhound bus. They both had a serious look on their face and I wondered briefly what they could be talking about, but when neither of them looked in my direction I shrugged and made my way inconspicuously towards home.

After only a couple of minutes of walking, I heard my phone buzzing in my jacket pocket and pulled it out to see a text from Dajan. I opened it curiously.

Did you head home already?

Chuckling quietly to myself at his normal blunt text speech I typed, Yah. I want to spend some time with Auntie today. Your last shot was amazing though! I'm glad I went. 

I continued on my way home but even before I could replace my phone in my pocket it vibrated in my hand and I looked to see a reply from Dajan.

Thanks for coming. Rosa sent me our pics. I'll see you on Monday

I blinked in surprise and wondered why he had changed his mind about having me go through the pictures for him, but just then I started getting text after text of pictures that Rosa took of the trip. Grinning, I surfed through the pictures happily on my way back to the apartment. 

When I finally was home I dropped my backpack unceremoniously next to one of the living room couches before collapsing on the couch myself and allowing myself to relax completely. I fleetingly wondered if I should text Auntie to let her know I was home but before I knew it I drifted off to sleep.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

"Unbelievable! You'd think he hasn't read any of the emails I've sent him for the past six months!" 

I startled awake as the front door slammed closed and I heard the clatter of Auntie kicking her ridiculously tall high heels down the hallway. I tried to pull my mind out of the fog of sleep.

"Auntie? You okay?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes to try and make them adjust quicker. 

I heard Auntie gasp in fright from somewhere nearby. Blinking to focus my blurry vision I saw her standing in the hallway looking at me in shock and then her expression turned to guilt before she glanced away from me.

"Opal! I didn't know you were home already," she said awkwardly while playing with her scarf. It was a pretty red color with tassels on the ends and I stood up slowly, wondering what was making her act so fidgety.

"I'm sorry. I guess I fell asleep as soon as I got home," I apologize and she looked up at me with wide eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart, you don't have to apologize! I got your text that they had won a while ago, I should have assumed you were home by now," she said. 

I glanced down the hall to where she hand flung her high heels, something I had never seen her do before.

"Are you sure you are okay, Auntie?" I asked hesitantly. 

She opened and closed her mouth several times without saying anything, causing my worry to double. I quickly went over to her.

"What is it? Did something happen at work?" I asked and Auntie's eyes filled with guilt as she sighed heavily.

"No. No, it doesn't have to do with work," she said reluctantly before plopping her purse unceremoniously on the floor in front of the closet and my worry skyrocketed to full-blown concern.  

"What is it then? Can I help?" I asked, but that only seemed to deepen the guilt that was causing her face to form wrinkles from frowning.

"Oh, Opal... I don't want to speak badly about your dad in front of you..." she replied unhappily. I instantly froze, feeling a pit of dread begin to form in my stomach.

"Fa...ther?" I asked, extremely hesitant and quiet. Auntie sighed and faced me, taking one of my hands in her own soft one.

"I sent your father a video of your talent show performance," she explained and the pit in my stomach grew twice in size. I listened mutely as she continued. "I thought that he would like to see you being happy here and I wanted to brag about you with him. But I get a text telling me that if you have time to be dancing you should be focusing on your karate," she said with obvious anger and my hand in Auntie's grip went completely slack.

"Karate," I repeated dully, feeling the pit in my stomach grow even wider.

"I just barely texted him and told him that was ridiculous. I've been telling him for months that dancing makes you really happy so there is no reason to make you quit," Auntie said, her frustration obvious.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and mechanically I pulled it out. Without looking at the sender, I clicked on the message. As I read it though it felt like the ground was rushing up towards me, trying to swallow me whole.

You don't deserve happiness. Tell Yuki you are quitting or I'll bring you back.

I couldn't believe it. Almost a year had gone by since I moved in with Auntie and I had heard nothing from my father. But now...

"What is it, Opal? You look like you've seen a ghost," Auntie said, squeezing my limp hand in hers. 

I slowly raised my head to look at her while tilting my phone screen so she wouldn't see what was written.

"Father texted me," I whispered and Auntie's eyes widened.

"What did he say?" she asked and to my surprise, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I hadn't even realized I was starting to cry.

"He said that if I don't quit I have to go back," I said, my voice sounding mechanical and far away.

"What!" Auntie yelled in shock, taking a step back and bumping against the wall. "Why would he... but we agreed... What is he thinking?" Auntie growled.

She quickly grabbed her fallen purse and removed her phone angrily. Within seconds she had the phone next to her ear and I could faintly hear a ringtone. It didn't take long for them to answer.

"Aaron, what is the big deal? Why are you so against her dancing? I told you she was taking lessons months ago!" she growled angrily into the phone. 

I desperately tried to push through the numbness that had descended over both my body and my brain.

"Auntie, wait..." I tried to say but her face had screwed up in a look of anger as she listened to Father's reply.

"What do you mean you never gave permission? You said I could raise her the way I saw best! You agreed that until she graduated to help her stay focused she would stay with me," she argued into her phone and then gritted her teeth as she listened.

"It is not 'negatively impacting' her grades! She is the top student in her school! I sent you her midterm grades, you know she is doing well!" she rebutted loudly. 

I stumbled back from her, reeling at the news that Auntie had been bothering Father with stuff like that without me knowing it.

He probably deleted any news about me without reading it, I thought in a panic, hoping that he wasn't angry.

"How is karate any better than dancing!" Auntie shot back at her phone and the pit inside of my stomach expanded into my chest. 

This isn't happening. He wouldn't actually take me away from Auntie, would he?

"I know she's your daughter, but why would you try to take away something that makes her happy?" she growled into the phone and I shut my eyes as tears continued to drip in steady streams down my cheeks.

Stop. Auntie, stop. You don't understand. I have to stop her... I thought to myself, trying to force my legs to move.

"What do you know about what makes a teenage girl happy?" Auntie growled. 

I desperately reached out and grabbed onto her shoulder like it was a lifeline. She flinched and looked back at me with a shocked expression.

"I-I'll quit. I'll quit, but please don't argue," I said, desperately trying to stop my useless tears.

Auntie's eyes filled with concern but then her face went paler than I had ever seen in my life. She slowly turned away from me and focused on her conversation with Father.

"What did you just say?" Auntie asked in a low, dangerous tone of voice and her eyes went hard with anger. 

She squeezed my hand that was still on her shoulder for a moment and then pushed it off. Slowly she mouthed "It'll be okay" to me, then walked towards her room where she closed the door behind her.

It wasn't long until I heard her yelling from inside her room in what sounded like Japanese. I shakily made my way to my room where I shut the door. Numbly I leaned my back against it and slowly slid down to the floor, dropping my phone on the ground beside me. Raising trembling hands up past my cheeks I laid my palms against my ears while holding the back of my head and tried to block out the sounds of Auntie arguing for my right to happiness.

Father's text swam through my mind's eye and I thought back to all of the happiness that I had taken advantage of and enjoyed since moving to Sweet Amoris. For the first time, I had friends. I found a passion for dancing. Auntie and I laughed together every day... I thought that if I was away from Father, that if he didn't know that I was finding happiness here with Auntie, he could forget about me and find his own happiness. And that just maybe I would cease to become the reason his life had been ruined and I could just be Auntie's niece.

You are a mistake. You shouldn't have been born. You've ruined everything! Father's hate-filled words swarmed my thoughts and I slumped to my side, curling into a ball on the floor and trying to combat his taunts by telling the voice that Auntie loved me. That I made Auntie happy. That I hadn't ruined my friends' lives.

You ruin everything you touch, Father's last words he said to me rang through my mind and I had never wanted so badly to not believe him. You're the reason Crystal left me, his voice accused in my head and I whimpered, shaking my head against the carpeted floor.

"I didn't mean to," I whispered to the voice and I heard Father's angry laughter rip through my head.

How could my blood be so weak? Why were you born a girl? Back and forth I tried to refute my father's voice in my head... but I could never beat it because deep inside I knew that I had done a terrible thing. I knew that I really had ruined my father's life. No matter how wonderful my life was here, I had done nothing to deserve it.

"But I don't want to leave," I called out softly, plaintively. Wondering if somehow my voice would reach Father and make him even angrier. Even at that thought though I couldn't help but say out loud, "Please don't make me leave."

Auntie argued with Father on the phone for nearly an hour before I could no longer hear her voice speaking words I didn't understand. She called my name as I heard her door click open. I let the oversized T-shirt that I sometimes wore to bed drop to my knees and rubbed at my eyes one more time, trying to make them less red, but I doubted it did anything. I heard a soft knock on my door and I went to open it, trying to smile. I could feel Auntie's concern pouring from every inch of her as she looked at me with a guilt-stricken expression.

"I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that, Opal," she said sincerely, wrapping me into a tight hug. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to dissolve into tears again. "But don't worry, I gave your ungrateful father a good talking to and he said you can stay with me until you graduate as we planned," she said with weariness in her tone. I felt my whole body relax in an instant.

"Really?" I asked, pulling away to look at her tired expression.

"Yes, don't worry. From what I could gather your parents still haven't settled their divorce. He's probably being so stubborn because he's stressed. I finally told him that we would take you out of dance lessons but I wouldn't have you go back to karate," Auntie said with an annoyed look. 

I bowed my head, having already accepted that my dancing was over as soon as I saw Father's text.

"Hmph, what a control freak my brother is. You're of course going to keep dancing," Auntie said with a huff, crossing her arms. I blinked in surprise then a feeling of terror gripped me. 

"N-no, Auntie. Father will find out," I stammered but Auntie scoffed, waving her hand as if there were a particularly large bug she wanted to squash.

"He won't know anything that I don't tell him," she said rebelliously and I shook my head mutely, fear for Auntie making my blood turn cold. She met my panicked gaze and sighed, dropping her hands by her side.

"We can talk about it later then. Have you had dinner yet? It's already 6," she said but I shook my head again.

"I don't really feel like eating. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to take a bath," I said quietly and she nodded her consent. 

Giving her one more hug while trying to keep from trembling, I headed towards the bathroom and locked the door.